Medicine, as a kind of special merchandise related to human health, has special security requirements for every step of manufacturing, packaging, transportation and using, wherein the requirements for drying agent in packaging step are even more critical. The drying agent currently used in this industry is medicinal silica gel drying agent, using solid paper packaging or plastic vials packaging with numerous small holes. The silica gel is non-degradable, and has poor plasticity and, therefore, the packaging and bottling can not depart from human hand (the drying agent is first placed into a packaging bag or a bottle firstly, and then the packaged drying agent is put into a medicine bottle, requires two production processes). It is well known that, hand contact is likely to cause secondary pollution, and leave a small amount of crumb. The silica gel drying agent has a poor moisture absorption capacity, especially at 99% relative humidity. Its absorption saturation is reached only in 24 hours and the silica gel loses effectiveness.
In this regard, a Chinese utility model No. 200710094046.4, entitled “silicon oxide drying agent and the production method thereof” discloses a solid silica flaky drying agent comprising of 80-85% silicon oxide power and 15-20% starch. This product uses natural silica as raw material, which is non-toxic, odorless, and has a strong moisture absorption capacity; there is no change in color, no deliquescence and no pollution after moisture saturation. The significant advantages of this solid silica flaky drying agent, as compared with other drying agent, are: lasting moisture absorption effect, balanced moisture absorption rate, thus ensuring the quality of medicines. The compressive strength of the solid silica flaky drying agent is good, and there is no crumbling, no dust. Furthermore, the drying agent is sealed in a filter paper packaging, preventing a direct contact between the drying agent and the medicine, and greatly reducing the pollution source of dust particle and microbial contamination. However, due to the similar shape of the solid silica flaky drying agent and the medicine, putting the drying agent and the medicines together could easily lead to erroneously intake by senior citizens and children.